Schumacher returns for highly anticipated F1 fight

By PAUL LOGOTHETIS, AP Auto Racing Writer
| 12:54 p.m.March 8, 2010

The sun rises Sunday, March 7, 2010, behind the tower of the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, where the Formula One Grand Prix car racing season will open next Friday through Sunday. The season opens with new teams, rules and the return of F1 superstar Michael Schumacher. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)
— AP

The sun rises Sunday, March 7, 2010, behind the tower of the Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir, Bahrain, where the Formula One Grand Prix car racing season will open next Friday through Sunday. The season opens with new teams, rules and the return of F1 superstar Michael Schumacher. (AP Photo/Hasan Jamali)
/ AP

MADRID 
After an anti-climatic championship capped a season of turmoil in 2009, Michael Schumacher's return to Formula One has set the stage for a highly anticipated title fight.

Schumacher's comeback puts four champions on the grid, and at least four teams - including Schumacher's Mercedes GP - are expected to challenge for the championship after a season of surprises on the track generated little excitement despite the victory of underdog Brawn GP.

Most of the news was made off the track in a series of scandals that included the teams nearly forming a breakaway series, Lewis Hamilton allegedly lying to stewards to gain an advantage and Renault's Flavio Briatore being banned from the sport for ordering a driver to crash.

Order appeared to be somewhat restored in February when Ferrari emerged as this season's leading contender after preseason testing, while McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes are all expected to be in the hunt from the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 14. In all, 12 teams will be on a starting grid, with Lotus racing for the first time since 1994 and the Senna name returning to the track.

"There could be five or six teams who are competitive," said defending champion Jenson Button, who switched from Brawn to McLaren in January. "It is great for the sport, and I think it is exciting for the fans of F1, and all of us involved, because we don't really know what is going to happen."

Schumacher, a seven-time F1 champ, has returned after three years in retirement and is ready to duel with some familiar foes, as well as others who have emerged during his absence.

Among those he's raced in the past is two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Spain, who has been re-energized by his move to Ferrari.

"This is the best car I've ever had," said Alonso, who won the title in 2005 and 2006. "When you join Ferrari if you don't expect a fast car it means there's something wrong. I was hopeful and it's always good to confirm that the car works well."

Teammate Felipe Massa of Brazil has also chalked up miles and looks to show he's recovered from life-threatening injuries he sustained in a crash at the Hungarian GP in July.

Schumacher, who finished second to Alonso in his final season, said his former team is the one to beat, and most of the paddock considers Alonso the favorite as the iconic red car has had few problems in testing.

Button, meanwhile, left constructors' champion Brawn GP - now Mercedes - to form an all-British lineup with Lewis Hamilton at McLaren, which gives it the past two champions.

McLaren had a strong second half in 2009 and came on strong at the end of testing before this season, which sees some rule changes that will alter strategy significantly.

"(The car) feels all new. It feels light years ahead of what it felt last year at this time," said Hamilton, who won two races down the stretch to finish fifth last season. "We're definitely in a much stronger position. We'll start a lot higher up than we did last year."

Button, who got off to a fast start early in 2009 and then hung on to win his first title, isn't deterred by walking into a tricky situation at McLaren, where Hamilton came up through the ranks and has always been favored.

"We're very open with our opinions and also with our feedback so it's a good situation to be in," Button said.

Hamilton has never raced Schumacher, whose comeback was cut short last summer when neck and back injuries kept the 41-year-old German from filling in for Massa after his crash. That missed opportunity whetted Schumacher's appetite to return.

"I feel like it's the good old days," Schumacher said. "It's just the challenge of driving the car, going at the other guys, and fight them, wheel to wheel. I'm here to fight for it. I'm sure we will be in the position."

"It's totally obvious that he's maybe not like he was, age-wise. That might be something that we might find out if it works against him," Webber said. "But you can never underestimate him, we know that."

Schumacher's teammate, Nico Rosberg, will also be trying to make his mark as he finally gets a seat in a championship-caliber car after four seasons at Williams. Mercedes' Silver Arrows cars return to the grid for the first time in 55 years.

Hamilton and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel are among the drivers who haven't raced Schumacher.

Vettel, who finished second behind Button last year, has another fast car but reliability continues to be an issue. The Austrian team at least has a Renault engine, expected to be the most fuel efficient in a season where refueling is banned and cars will only pit to change tires.

Rubens Barrichello replaces Rosberg at Williams, and will be joined by German rookie Nico Hulkenberg. Williams is expected to be in the group just behind the leaders alongside Sauber, Force India, and perhaps Renault and Toro Rosso.

"Hopefully we can (compete)," the 37-year-old Barrichello said. "We have a competitive car, if it's competitive enough to win the first race I don't know."

Barrichello, who will go over 300 career races this season, is no longer the oldest driver on the grid. He is younger than Schumacher and 39-year-old Pedro De la Rosa, who partners Japan's Kamui Kobayashi at Sauber.

Adrian Sutil and Tonio Liuzzi return for Force India, as do Sebastien Buemi and Jaime Alguersuari for Toro Rosso.

Despite new management and the arrival of Robert Kubica, Renault continues to feel the effects of last year's poor car and "crashgate" scandal and is just hopeful of points, which will be given to the first 10 drivers. Previously only the first eight received points. Race winners will be awarded 25 points instead of 10, while the runner-up earns 18 instead of eight.

Kubica is joined by Russian rookie Vitaly Petrov, one of five new faces on the starting grid this year with Lucas Di Grassi joining Timo Glock at new team Virgin Racing.

Virgin and Lotus, which has drivers Jarno Trulli and Heikki Kovalainen for its Malaysian-backed return after 16 years, are the only two new teams that tested. Hispania Racing Team, formerly Campos Meta, will go to Bahrain with rookie pair Bruno Senna - nephew of three-time champion Ayrton Senna - and Indian driver Karun Chandhok.

USF1 will not be competing after governing body FIA rejected its bid to start racing after the start of the season.

Former Ferrari team principal Jean Todt has replaced Max Mosley as president of FIA, the sport's governing body. Mosley, who headed the governing body since 1993, made headlines for his power struggles with the teams and a sex scandal nearly two years ago.

Montreal will host the Canadian GP again after it was removed from last year's calendar, while a Korean GP will make it 19 races if the track is ready to go by its scheduled Oct. 24 date.